


Beautiful, you should know

by BiUnicorn



Category: The Wilds (TV 2020)
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Homophobia, Homophobic Language, Hurt/Comfort, Self-Acceptance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:41:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28343328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BiUnicorn/pseuds/BiUnicorn
Summary: Toni’s determined expression softened. Shelby had only seen this look in Toni’s face when she was referring to Martha, her chosen sister which Toni protected and loved with her whole life. It must mean something, receiving this look from Toni felt so right, Shelby felt as if she was worth being loved. It was the first time she felt this way since Becca.Or...The remaining girls were rescued, but even though they're safe, Shelby struggled with the aftermath of all the trauma and her own family.
Relationships: Shelby Goodkind/Toni Shalifoe
Comments: 7
Kudos: 324





	Beautiful, you should know

**Author's Note:**

> TRIGGER WARNING: HOMOPHOBIA, PARENTS BEING HOMOPHOBIC  
> If it disturbs you, please don't read.
> 
> Hi folks!
> 
> So, I'm obsessed with the wilds, like, omg.  
> This is just an idea I had after the last episode. Pure fiction.
> 
> I hope you like it.  
> Peace out y'all.

Nora was dead, but she did a good action before succumbing, Leah concluded, sighing with relief as she was taken back to the United States in a helicopter from government officials. At least the agents of whatever institution that was rescuing them from the bunker had the decency to explain the situation: the local authorities received a call, claiming that seven girls were being held hostage on an island by an insane researcher. This is how an extremely delicate operation began and, somewhere in Peru, the six survivors were found, locked in rooms, as if they were in a rehabilitation clinic.

As unbelievable as they were, Leah was partially right about her conspiracy theories. Something very strange was happening on the island, someone knew something, in that case, Nora knew everything. The only incorrect theory involved Shelby, who had been nothing but a victim of Klein's project. Shelby, ah, Shelby... The one who supported Leah with everything during the unfolding of the "investigations" in the bunker. Shelby, who had survived the shark attack by helping save Rachel, who was forced to shave her hair upon arriving at the bunker, under the pretext of being full of knots impossible to undo (Leah knew it was a lie, that the pseudo psychiatrist forced her to do it, to study her reaction, it was written in his notes, that Leah managed to read in the monitoring room while trying to escape). Shelby, who almost died in that bunker, due to all of the trauma, injuries and the panic of thinking about being stuck in that godforsaken place.

The point is that Leah wanted, more than anything in the world, to make sure that all the survivors were okay, especially Shelby, rescued from the bunker in a bad shape. When she saw Fatin outside her room (in a real hospital on the mainland), Leah couldn’t be happier.

"Are the girls here?" Leah asked, hesitantly, getting up from the bed and hugging Fatin.

"You bet on it, bitch." Fatin said with a smile, a tear dripping down her face.

"We all are." A familiar voice louded on the door of his room. Dot. And behind her was Rachel, with a smile not so bright, but relieved to be out of that nightmare.

"Where are the others? Shelby?" Leah sounded worried.

"Martha is resting, Shelby is asleep, she was in a bad shape, couldn’t breathe well, having sort of a heavy panic attack when we came here, Toni is with her." Dot explained, entering the room and hugging Leah. "She's going to be fine though..."

"So that's it, are we really free?" Leah sighed, incredulous.

"We are free..." Fatin hold her hand, affectionate.

A few rooms away, Toni was asleep beside Shelby's bed, holding her hand. Martha rested in the next room and Toni took the opportunity to finally be with Shelby. The two hadn’t seen each other since being trapped in the bunker, which left Toni more afraid than she could admit.

It was strange to be back, in the midst of civilization. The nurses looked at her with pity, Toni was in good health, she didn't need anyone's pity. Who really needed attention was the girl in front of her, asleep with her leg still in a cast, breathing with difficulty and with her hair shaved. Toni would do anything to stay by her side and help her to get through it all. Shelby was Toni’s "good thing" about all that experience, damn it, about her whole life, even more than Reagan, Shelby had become important to her since that day when they discovered the Lychee tree on the island. Toni promised herself that she wouldn’t let anything hurt the girl lying in that bed again.

-

They were free, finally free. As they stepped out of that hospital, fame became imminent. A crowd of reporters were waiting for them in the parking lot.

Cameras and microphones, questions from all sides. Toni was used to attention being the leader of her basketball team, but the sight of Shelby's parents escorting her to their car made her anxious and angry. Shelby looked back, quietly apologizing to Toni for not being able to say goodbye. Shelby's father pushed her forward with a look of disgust, while her mother seemed to be unaffected by the discomfort of the situation.

-

"I understand it was a traumatic situation, but God makes no mistakes, the island was a punishment for your sins, daughter. Homosexuals are destined to suffer for their sins."

Shelby stopped immediately, before she could take the first step into the house. A tear dweled down her face, exhausted after spending the entire trip back to Texas listening to her father's complaints about what he heard of Shelby and Toni.

"As soon as your leg heals, you will go to the conversion retreat. There is no discussion on this subject. And let's buy a wig, so you don't go around looking like a boy."

Shelby's mother's silence was deafening.

"I don't understand how you manage to be so cruel." Shelby murmured, turning around, and staring at her father who stood behind her, skeptical.

"I'm not going to any fucking retreat. I am who I am. God doesn't make mistakes and if the Lord made me like this, I accept who I am. If you won't accept me, I'm sorry, Dad, but I can't be your daughter."

"Then I can say that my daughter died on that island, because my daughter is not gay." The older man said, swallowing dry.

"Love..." Mom said, worried about the situation.

"So, I don't think you have a daughter anymore." Shelby said bitterly, entering the house, still limping in with the help of crutches. "Don't worry, I'll go to a better place than hell, your greatest fear won't come true, I won't be alone."

With this, Shelby did her best to get to her bedroom as soon as possible, slamming the door behind herself, breaking down in tears as she made a single suitcase, with difficulty.

Her father was too busy praying the gay away from Shelby to see his daughter leaving the house a few minutes later.

-

The girls were reunited in New York after an invitation to appear on a talk show on TV, as they had anticipated on the island. Toni spent time at the hotel, paid by the TV Channel, thinking about how Shelby should be feeling right now, returning home with her extremely toxic parents. Two days had passed since they were all discharged from the hospital. Toni wondered how Shelby had felt when she got back to Texas by plane. How is she supposed to feel going back home?

The truth is that Toni missed her and was worried, sad even, because like anyone else in her life, Shelby had to left.

Toni drank another sip of the mini bottle of distillate that was in the minibar of her room, feeling the drink burn inside, a feeling of emptiness consuming her. At this point, the phone in her room rings, Toni finds the object strange, after so many days away from all technology. Hesitantly, she pulls out the phone and hears the voice of the receptionist.

"Miss, a girl is at the reception asking for you. Miss Goodkind."

Toni didn't even care to answer, she simply jumped out of bed and ran out to the corridors, jumping several steps down the emergency stairs, doing anything that would get her faster to the first floor. When she finally arrived at the hotel's hall, she looked arround, finally spotting Shelby. The blonde smiled shyly as she saw Toni on the opposite side of the room, who, panting, also smiled and ran the last steps until she could reach her.

Toni threw her arms around Shelby and let herself enjoy the feeling of having her around again.

"What are you doing here?" Toni murmured, still incredulous, holding Shelby.

"I have nowhere to go." Shelby sobbed into Toni's arms, who held her even tighter, trying not to let the anger she felt for the girl's parents consume her.

"Shhh... I’ve got you, it's okay." Said kissing the top of Shelby's head, protectively.

-

Toni and Shelby were having coffee in the hotel restaurant, it was late but they both knew it was useless to try to sleep, with the restlessness they felt about finally being away from that damn island, by the nightmares that had certainly deprived the two girls of their sleeps last night, the anguish of not knowing what to do.

"They weren't happy to see me." Shelby murmured, playing with the little spoon in her hand, unable to raise her gaze to Toni. “Father said his daughter died on that island the moment I decided to be with another woman..."

Toni watched apprehensively as a tear flowed down Shelby's face. She finally raised her head and looked at Toni with a desperate look.

"Like... I... I don't understand how someone can be so cruel?"

"That's fucked up..." Toni sighed, seeking Shelby's hand on the table. "Shit, I'm so sorry Shelby."

-

The walk to Toni's room was quiet. Toni opened the door and waited for Shelby to enter. She closed the door behind her and left Shelby's suitcase on the floor, while the girl left her crutches on her side and sat on the bed. 

"I received an offer to stay in New York and play for college. We’ve got really famous." Toni said, sitting in bed next to Shelby, who was unnervingly quiet. "I'm sure you're the kind of girl with high grades and a resume that would get you accepted in Julliard, easily."

"My parents would never let me study there, something about me being influenced by sinful artists..."

"Luckily, you're free..." Toni held Shelby's face, carefully. "You are free to do whatever you want, be whoever you want to be, be with whoever you want."

It took a few minutes of silence and Toni caressing her hands softly, but Shelby finally smiled, letting herself believe in Toni's words.

"Who knew Toni Shalifoe would be so optimistic in the middle of this fucking mess?"

Toni smiled.

"Do you pray with that mouth of yours?" She teased.

Shelby’s lips moved upwards, a signal that Toni’s attempts to make her feel comfortable was working. Feeling bold, in control of her own life for the first time, Shelby approaches Toni, knowing exactly what she wants.

"I do other things too." She whispered, a few inches from Toni's face, that for the first time was speechless.

"I... I..." Toni stuttered, trying to regain the ability to reason, being interrupted by the sensation of Shelby's lips against her own. “You’re getting bold, I see.” Toni said, smiling against Shelby’s lips, soon kissing her again.

It was a slow kiss, full of meaning. Soon, what was slow, became more intense, messy. The two set up on the bed, some pieces of clothing were discarded on the floor, and the brunette stood on top of Shelby, kissing her as her hand rested on her bare shoulder. It was Shelby who interrupted the kiss, panting and, suddenly, insecure.

“You’re cool?” Toni asked, worried.

“Yeah, I…” Shelby interrupted herself, swallowing dry. “Do you like me? I… Like… Do you really like me the way I am now?”

“What? Of course I like you, why are you asking this?” Toni took a step back, confused, trying to analyze Shelby’s expression. The Texan looked scared, sad even. Soon, Toni realized why.

“Look at me!” Shelby sat again, fumbling her hands, nervously. “I’m broken.”

"Are you kidding me?" Toni asked, incredulously.

"I'm not the same person I was before, I mean... I... I'm a mess. My hair looks awful and... My teeth..." Shelby retreated, feeling her face warm, embarrassed.

Toni, however, remained motionless where she was, without taking her eyes off the pair of green eyes in front of her. She placed her hand on Shelby's face and smiled.

"You're beautiful, Shelby. I don't give a fuck about your hair or your teeth... I really like you and nothing will change how I feel."

“But…”

“No buts… look back at all we went through, we’ve seen each other at our lowest and darkest places. You saw me burst out and fucking destroy our shelter, and I saw you losing it and fucking trying to cut your hair on your own. And for what’s worth, I’ve had to hear you singing while peeing.” Toni teased, trying to make the girl laugh. “Despite all of this shit, we’re still here. Isn’t it proof enough that what I feel for you is stronger than anything that has happened?”

Shelby exhaled.

“I guess that makes sense…”

“Of course it does, Shelby.” Toni’s determined expression softened. Shelby had only seen this look in Toni’s face when she was referring to Martha, her chosen sister which Toni protected and loved with her whole life. It must mean something, receiving this look from Toni felt so right, Shelby felt as if she was worth being loved. It was the first time she felt this way since Becca.

Shelby finally opened a smile, looking straight at Toni’s brown eyes. Toni’s expression became unreadable, as if she realized something, which she did.

“Shit, I’m really in love with you.”

Toni leaned over and kissed Shelby's lips passionately.

"You are beautiful..." murmured as she kissed down the blonde's neck. Toni wasn’t a religious person, but she repeated that phrase as if it were a prayer, while worshiping Shelby’s body as if her life depended on it, on making Shelby see how beautiful she is, feel how much she meant to her.

“I love you too.” Shelby murmured, right before falling asleep in Toni’s arms that night, feeling finally free of all the chains that held her down in the past.


End file.
